How We Set Up Our First Airbnb Unit: A Chaotic, Yet Rewarding Start

Hello, fellow hosts and aspiring entrepreneurs! I'm G, and I’m thrilled to share the story of how we set up our very first Airbnb unit. Spoiler alert: it was nothing like the polished, perfectly executed listings you see on Airbnb today. In fact, it was a chaotic, last-minute decision, but that’s where the magic of hosting truly began. In this post, I’m spilling the sauce behind how we got our unit live on Airbnb, navigating through the early days of hosting, and sharing some tips on achieving a level of automation that makes vacation rental hosting almost effortless.

The Unofficial First Unit: A Bachelor's Pad Turned Airbnb Rental Vacation Unit

Let’s rewind to the beginning. My roommate "Shivam" and I were living in a modest two-bedroom apartment in Chandigarh, India, which we called “The Pad.” It was never meant to be an official rental unit—just a place for two young guys to crash, have some fun, and live the bachelor life.

But as time passed, we decided to move back to our respective family homes. Why? Well, it’s not like we were tired of “The Pad” (we were 22, after all)—we just wanted to be closer to family and save on rent. At the same time, we were both increasingly drawn to the idea of Airbnb. After all, there was this apartment just sitting there, and we’d been thinking about putting it on Airbnb for months. It was a win-win—we could make some extra cash, and the apartment wouldn’t just sit vacant.

So, one evening just before heading out for a gym session, we made a spontaneous decision: why not? We grabbed our iPhones, downloaded the Airbnb app, and switched over to the hosting side. We had no clue what we were doing, but that didn’t stop us.

Creating "The Pad" — An Airbnb Unit

It was around 8 PM. We didn’t have any fancy camera gear or professional photography skills. We simply used our iPhones, clicked a few pictures, and threw together a brief description of the place. "The Pad" felt like the perfect name—nothing too fancy, just a casual, relaxed space.

We set the price at INR 5,000 per night, not knowing a thing about pricing strategies (but don't worry, we’ll dive into pricing in future posts). The apartment was two bedrooms, a cozy living area, and a basic kitchen. Sure, it wasn’t anything extravagant, but it had character, and that was enough.

The listing was live in 5 minutes. I’m honestly still amazed by how simple and seamless the whole process was. Kudos to Airbnb for making it so easy for beginners like us to dive in and get started.

And, no surprise, we started getting inquiries almost immediately—while we were at the gym! thinking, Wow, this is happening.

The Chaos of Our First Booking

The very next day, we got our first booking. YAY… or should I say, NAHHHH? We were far from ready.

You see, we didn’t realize just how much prep work went into getting an Airbnb unit ready for guests. The check-in time was 2 PM, and we still hadn’t done any deep cleaning or bought the necessary supplies. We were totally unprepared.

One of us rushed to the store for new bedding, while the other ordered groceries using quick-commerce apps like Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart (which were a lifesaver, let me tell you). These apps allowed us to get fresh essentials like snacks, toiletries, and cleaning supplies delivered to the door in minutes. If you're running an Airbnb in a city with quick commerce services, trust me, these are your best friend.

We scrambled around the apartment, vacuuming, folding towels, and setting up the space just in time for our first guests. The excitement was real, and while it was chaotic, it was also incredibly rewarding. We didn’t know what to expect, but we were ready to give it our all. When the time finally came, we handed our guests the keys with a mix of nerves and excitement. The booking went smoothly, and surprisingly, so did the check-in. Everything fell into place, just as we’d hoped.

Lessons from Our First Airbnb Experience

Looking back, I can pinpoint a few key lessons from that chaotic first booking:

1. Don’t Overthink It – We had no professional photos, no experience, and a pretty basic listing. But we took action. Airbnb makes it so easy to get started, so sometimes the best move is simply to dive in and learn as you go.

   
   

2. Flexibility Is Crucial – The chaotic prep for our first booking showed us the importance of being flexible. Things will not always go as planned, but if you can stay adaptable, you’ll navigate through any crisis.

   
   

3. Leverage Technology – Quick-commerce apps were lifesavers during our frantic preparation. In cities where these services are available, they can save you time and effort, especially when you’re in a pinch.

However, I want to share a quick update: while Shiv and I were once partners on this Airbnb journey, we're no longer working together on the business. Shiv has since moved on to a different journey of his own. The good news, though, is that I’m not alone on this journey anymore! I’ve partnered up with another friend "Shaan" —someone who shares the same passion.

Today, thanks to the systems and automation we've put in place, we're now managing hundreds of guests with ease. From automated check-ins and guest communication to scheduled cleanings and smart pricing, the structures we've built allow us to scale our business efficiently while maintaining a high level of guest satisfaction. It’s been an exciting ride, and the best part is that we’re just getting started.

If you’re thinking about becoming an Airbnb host, I say go for it. My advice remains the same: start messy, start small, and start now. The rest will follow.t. In future posts, I’ll share more tips, tricks, and lessons from our experience. Let’s keep learning and growing together as a community of hosts!